LEOMINSTER -- Many local residents said the area lost an opportunity for new jobs after last week's denial of a slots casino in Leominster from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Karen Brennan, 48, of Fitchburg, was torn about the casino issue, but said she's somewhat happy to know it won't come here because she would have lost a lot of money gambling.

"I would be there all the time," said Brennan. She said she knows she would have ended up spending money she couldn't afford to lose at the slots.

Brennan said she doesn't have a gambling problem and is less likely to gamble when she has to travel to do so. She plays Keno, bingo and scratch tickets locally. She sometimes attends slots parlors with family members and said they usually wait until they are out of money to leave.

She said the casino issue was a double-edged sword because she also has two unemployed sons and would have liked to see job opportunities in the area for them.

In September, a ballot question drew 61 percent of Leominster votes in favor of allowing the Baltimore-based Cordish Cos. to open a slots parlor in Leominster. Last week, members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 3-2 to award the casino license to Plainville.

The casino had a vocal opposition group that was afraid it would bring crime, traffic and gambling addictions to the area, but on the streets of downtown Leominster Saturday most people were upset that it was rejected by the state.

"We deserved it," said Ivy Tigs Sr., who was waiting to board a MART bus.

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"This was an opportunity for jobs and we deserved it."

"This stinks. It would have been a really good thing for the area," said Jesus Otero, of Leominster. "Leominster is a pretty cool place, and I looked forward to visiting it." Otero said he's never been to any of the New England casinos but has visited Las Vegas before.

Eric Brown said he had mixed feelings. He said he wants to see jobs come to the area, but was concerned about the space it would take up and potential environmental harm from development.

"It could bring in some people you don't want as well," he said.

Ebony Ryan recently moved to Leominster. She hadn't followed the issue much, but said she would have been fine with it as long as it didn't use up any public resources.

Frank Cohen, 45, of Leominster, said this was a "huge loss" for Leominster.

"It's not about recreation and entertainment options for me," he said. "It's about the recreation and entertainment industry providing economic growth opportunity in a region with none.

Cohen said the area has both a higher unemployment rate than the state average and a lower median income average. He said the casino opposition has exhibited a snobbish tone about gamblers and pumped up unverifiable fears about crime, property values and impacts on local businesses.

Lewis Chamberlain, of Fitchburg, was also disappointed with the casino decision.

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